Welcome to the March 2009 edition of the Laconneau
Monthly Newsletter.

IN THIS ISSUE
• Book of the Month
• Upcoming Retreat
• Upcoming Pilgrimage
• Upcoming Festival
• Regional News
• Regional Calendars
• Contact Laconneau


BOOK OF THE MONTH

    
   

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee:
An Indian History of the American West
by Dee Brown

Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee is a balanced account of the  injustices and
betrayals of the Native Americans by the U.S. government and the white man in
the process of westward expansion.  It recounts how Native Americans were
threatened, deceived and killed in great numbers in service of the white man’s
greed and arrogance, and how a proud and brave people were systematically
deprived of their culture, religion and way of life in that service.  The
consequences of those actions are stark and dramatic in the lives of the Native
Americans to this day.  Those of us who call ourselves “Americans” would do
well to read this book in order to understand the price of that appellation for
those who lived on this land long before our arrival..


UPCOMING RETREAT






Sentier de Vermont
March 15-March 21, 2009

Fox Creek Inn
49 Dam Road
Chittenden, Vermont 05737

This spring we are introducing a new retreat to the Laconneau calendar. The Sentier de Vermont
(Vermont means Green Mountain in French) is the first time Laconneau has held a full residential retreat in North America and, in particular, in Vermont. Our retreat will be held at the beautiful Fox Creek Inn at Chittenden in the heart of the Green Mountains from Sunday March 15 to Saturday March 21. The Inn will be closed to all other guests during the period of our stay.

The retreat will focus on meditation, spiritual teaching, and Laconneau’s own traditional form of exercise, voie d’épée that resembles a cross between Yoga and tai chi, along with light hiking in the beautiful surrounding mountains. For those of you unfamiliar with voie d’épée there will be instruction in this form of exercise.

Each day will start with a group meditation followed by breakfast. The group will then meet for teaching until midday. Afternoons will be spent either hiking or visiting some of the interesting local sites. The group will meet again for an evening meditation before dinner. After dinner for those interested there will be group discussions, and traditional music should the mood take us.

Retreat Fee: $1790.00


Accommodation: will be two people sharing. (Single occupancy is available for a small supplement on a first come basis) All rooms are fitted with private bathroom and shower.

Meals: Dinner and breakfast are included in the fee. All food will be in keeping with Tradition dietary rules.

For information or to make a reservation:
Please contact Alex at (770) 235-5447 or Alex@Laconneau.org. As space is limited to ten people a
deposit of $500.00 is required at time of booking. All reservations will be on a first come basis.


UPCOMING PILGRIMAGE



Magdalene Pilgrimage
Monday, September 21 – Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A Pilgrimage to Southern France

For centuries, pilgrims have ascended the winding way to the abbey church of the Magdalene crowning the hill at Vezelay, often crawling on their hands and knees in penitence and petition. Construction on the basilica of La Madeleine began in 1096 and it very quickly became the fourth most popular of all sites of Christian pilgrimage, attesting to the enormous sway that the Magdalene still held over the
hearts and minds of the population of that time, a thousand years after her death. Based on the legend that she and her family had fled to Gaul as refugees before the first orthodox gospels were even written, the fascination and hold that Mary Magdalene held over this ancient land was both powerful and mystifying. What was the fascination that has held a whole nation in its thrall for nearly two millennia? Was Mary really the founder of the Celtic Church? Was there a connection between Mary and the Cathars? If so, has her cult survived to this day in the countryside of the Languedoc?

After the death of Yeshua, did Mary really flee from Jerusalem to travel to Southern France with her sister Martha, her brother Lazarus, Joseph of Arimithea, and other disciples, to work and preach among the people of Gaul, and eventually to found the Celtic Church before supposedly retiring from public
life to spend the last thirty years of her life in a hermit’s cave in the mountains of Ste. Baume? Is there any historical evidence to support the popular theories and legends behind the life of this mysterious woman?

What was it about this mysterious woman that led her followers, Cathar and others like them, to die in their thousands during the holocaust of the Albigensian Crusade rather than deny their faith and belief? Join with us as we travel through the magnificent country of Southern France to make a spiritual
journey back in time to explore this fascinating legend, and attempt to separate fact from fiction to find answers to some of these questions. Marvel with us as we seek to understand the wondrous power of this extraordinary yet enigmatic woman who left behind such a rich spiritual heritage, and yet with whom history has dealt so harshly, and with such premeditated injustice. Our pilgrimage starts
upon your arrival in Marseille on the morning of Monday, September 21, 2009, and ends when we deliver you to Toulouse Airport on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Please note that, should you wish to travel earlier, or remain later than the dates above, you are free to do so. As stated
above, our pilgrimage starts on September 21 and finishes on September 30.

For information or to make a reservation:
Please contact Alex at (770) 235-5447 or Alex@Laconneau.org. All reservations will be on a first come basis.

LACONNEAU SPRING FESTIVAL

 

Laconneau Spring Festival
Friday, May 1 - Sunday, May 3, 2009
Artemis House, Greenville, NC

Spring Festival marks the beginning of summer.  As with the Autumn Festival, this is a time between dark and light, night and day, winter and summer.  We are holding the Spring Festival in full accord with the principles of our Tradition. Come join us at Artemis House in Greenville, North Carolina for this wonderful weekend of council discussion, workshops, feminine spirituality and festivities.
Lend your voice to the power and love of other sisters such as yourself who feel a burning need to see change in this world.

The fee for the festival is $275.00. Please also budget for $20.00 per day to cover lunches and other expenses. Housing is available in the homes of the Greenville sisters and in hotels in the area. Please contact Elaine at carolinas@laconneau.org for more details.

For more Information on the Spring Festival:http://www.laconneau.org/festivalspring.html


REGIONAL NEWS



Laconneau Scholarship Fund
The Laconneau scholarship fund has been established to assist women who are unable to afford the cost of classes. If you are in need of a scholarship, please contact your local Laconneau coordinator.

If you would like to make a donation to the scholarship fund, please make your check out to Alex Guyol and send it to P.O. Box 261 Kingston, NJ 08528. If you have questions, please email Alex at alex@laconneau.org.

France News:
Laconneau is offering two opportunities for travel to France in the fall of 2009. The Magdalene Pilgrimage to Southern France is scheduled from September 21 to September 30, 2009.  There will also be an opportunity for a small group of Tradition members to complete Le Sentier des Cathares in the Languedoc from September 30 to October 8, 2009.  For further details, please email Alex at
alex@laconneau.org.

News from the Carolinas:
The young women's group have outgrown the apartment where they have been meeting. On Friday, February 13, they met at Artemis House for meditation, dinner and discussion.  The topic for discussion was Feminism and the Individual Woman.  Their next dinner is scheduled for Friday, March 6 at 6:30 PM. The topic will be Gender Discrimination. The group continues to meet on Friday evenings at the Tipsy Teapot in Greenville when they are not meeting for dinner and meditation. The meeting time at the Tipsy Teapot is 6:30 PM. The Greenville Circle will be meeting one Thursday evening a month for meditation and dinner. The first gathering will be on Thursday, March 19 at 6:30PM. The evening will include a conversation about future topics for discussion. The group will continue to meet one Sunday a month at noon for meditation.

The Carolinas circles will be holding a Laconneau of the Carolinas weekend on Saturday, March 28 through Sunday, March 29 in Brevard, NC. The weekend will include a hike, film preview, meditation, discussion, women's circle and plenty of time to spend with sisters. Women from all circles are welcome to attend. It is important that we hear from women who are interested in attending this weekend by March 8 so we can make arrangements for lodging and food.  If you would like to attend, please contact Elaine at carolinas@laconneau.org.

Georgia News:
The Georgia Circle will hold a Spring Yard Sale April 4th from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM in East Decatur. For directions or information about making donations, please contact Pat Kerner at pkerner@bellsouth.net.

Meditations are held on an ongoing basis in Decatur, Marietta and Gainesville. Women’s Circles are regularly held in Gainesville. Please see the Georgia calendar for details.

On Saturday, March 7th, a seminar on The Gospel of the Beloved Companion will be taught at Cedar Hill Enrichment Center in Gainesville. The one-day seminar will be held as a benefit for the center.  If you would like to attend the seminar, please contact Lynn at georgia@laconneau.org.

Pennsylvania News:
The Philadelphia circle hosted a very successful Level I class in February, the first in the new class format. Holding the class over three consecutive weeks gives women the opportunity begin to form their consistent practice of meditation, while having the space and opportunity to ask the questions that arise when building their foundational routine.

On March 16, we will hold a dinner to which all women are welcome and invited. While having dinner, we will discuss the concept of honor: how it is practically applicable in our lives, and why honor is so important for women, especially at the present time.

We welcome all women to our classes, meditations, dinners, and film screenings as we continue to build a strong foundation for this community of women.

Washington, DC News:
The Washington, DC Circle hosted The Magdalene Seminar and a Level I course in February, both of which were very well attended.

On Friday, March 6 at 6:30 PM, there will be a film screening, followed by dinner. The film, Carve Her Name With Pride, is based on R. J. Minney's book about true-life British war heroine Violette Szabo. It is a story of one woman’s courage and sacrifice in the face of danger, capture, and torture.

From March 15 to March 21, several of the DC community will be participating in the first Sentier de Vermont in Chittenden, Vermont.

FRANCE: Upcoming Events



Monday, September 21 – Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Magdalene Pilgrimage
A Pilgrimage to Southern France

Wednesday, September 30 – Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sentier des Cathares
Southern France


GEORGIA: March Events



Monday March 2, 2009
Meditation 6:30PM
Marietta, GA

Wednesday March 4, 2009,
Meditation 6:30PM
North Decatur, GA

Saturday March 7, 2009
The Gospel of the Beloved Companion Seminar 10:00AM
Gainesville, GA

Saturday March 7, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Gainesville, GA
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Monday March 9, 2009
Meditation 6:30PM
Marietta, GA

Sunday, March 15 - Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Sunday March 15, 2009,
Meditation & Book Discussion 12:30PM
Gainesville, GA

Sunday March 15, 2009
Meditation 5:30PM
East Decatur, GA

Monday March 16, 2009
Meditation 6:30PM
Marietta, GA

Monday March 23, 2009
Meditation 6:30PM
Marietta, GA
 
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Gainesville, GA
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Monday March 30, 2009
Meditation 6:30PM
Marietta, GA

Atlanta Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarAtlantaGA.html

Atlanta Region Coordinator: Lynn  - georgia@laconneau.org


NORTH CAROLINA: March Events



GREENVILLE, NC:

Friday, March 6, 2009
Young Women’s Dinner & Discussion 6:30PM
Gender Discrimination
Greenville, NC

Friday, March 13, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Artemis House
Greenville, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 15 – Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Thursday, March 19, 2009
Meditation & Dinner 6:30PM
Artemis House
Greenville, NC

Thursday, March 26, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:30PM
Artemis House
Greenville, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend 10:00AM
Brevard, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 29, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend (continued) 10:00AM
Brevard, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course


ASHEVILLE, NC

Friday, March 13, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Brevard, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 15 – Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend 10:00AM
Brevard, NC

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:30PM
Brevard, NC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 29, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend (Continued) 10:00AM
Brevard, NC


North Carolina Calendar Online:
http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarGreenvilleNC.html

Carolinas Region Coordinator: Elaine – carolinas@laconneau.org


PENNSYLVANIA: March Events



Sunday, March 1, 2009
Meditation & Tea 6:30
Philadelphia, PA

Monday, March 2, 2009
Level I Beginner’s Course (Continued) 7:30PM
Philadelphia, PA

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Philadelphia, PA
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 15 - Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Monday, March 16, 2009
Dinner & Discussion 7:30PM
Honor
Philadelphia, PA

Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:30PM
Philadelphia, PA
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Philadelphia Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarPhiladelphiaPA.html

Philadelphia Region Coordinator: Anna - Pennsylvania@laconneau.org


SOUTH CAROLINA: March Events



Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Simpsonville, SC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 15 – Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Thursday, March 26, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:30PM
Simpsonville, SC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend 10:00AM
Brevard, NC

Sunday, March 29, 2009
Laconneau of the Carolinas Weekend (Continued) 10:00AM
Brevard, NC

South Carolina Calendar Online:
http://www.laconneau.org/CalendarSC.html

Carolinas Region Coordinator: Elaine – carolinas@laconneau.org

WASHINGTON, DC: March Events



Friday, March 6, 2009
Film Screening & Dinner 6:30PM
Carve Her Name With Pride
Washington, DC

Sunday, March 8, 2009
Meditation & Afternoon Tea 3:30PM
Falls Church, VA

Friday, March 13, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:00PM
Washington, DC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

Sunday, March 15, – Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sentier de Vermont
A Retreat in Chittenden, VT

Friday, March 27, 2009
Women’s Circle 8:30PM
Washington, DC
For students who have completed the Level I Course

DC Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarWashingtonDC.html

DC Region Coordinator: Lorely - dc@laconneau.org


CONTACT LACONNEAU

Please contact your coordinator with questions or updated regional information.

In France:  Jehanne jehanne@laconneau.org

In California:Alex alex@laconneau.org

In the Carolinas: Elaine carolinas@laconneau.org

In Georgia: Lynn georgia@laconneau.org

In Pennsylvania: Anna pennsylvania@laconneau.org

In Washington, DC: Lorely dc@laconneau.org

Contact Information Online: http://www.laconneau.com/Contact.html

Laconneau Newsletter Archive:
http://www.laconneau.com/NewsletterArchive.html


Please visit our website, www.laconneau.org, for the complete calendar, further articles, Laconneau’s history and additional information.

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